Fortune and Fame
by darklingchild
Summary: Helga's life has taken a downfall... will arnold be her prince in shining armour? She hasn't seen him is 9 years....and he's become a wealthy businessman. Money, pride, pain, love...and AH fluff!!! *a CINDERELLA fic* that means...a HELGARELLA!!! *a/h*
1. meet helga

A/N: ahoy hoy hoy!  
  
Well, see, since I'm just sittin' here in front of mah computer, I decided to start writing!! Erm yeah, I didn't exactly feel like writing my story *Light of Darkness* (an D/hr fic) so I'm writing a HA! Fanfic!  
  
(I haven't watched the movie yet, so bear with me!) *but thru many spoilers in many fanfics I've read, I pretty much know what happens, (I think)*  
  
Heehee.here goes nothing!  
  
Fortune and Fame  
  
Helga ran down the street, head down, and hand clutching a heart shaped locket tightly in a fist. She turned into the next alleyway, and after a furtive look around, collapsed heavily on the ground. Her brown pigtails drooped wearily behind her, as rain continued to pour from the sky. Helga shivered from the wind, and stared solemnly at the picture in her hand.  
  
Arnold.  
  
Just his name sent shivers up her spine, and she let herself be drowned into him, just because of his being, well, him. She could escape, far away from the bitter chill seeping into her bones, far away from her family. From being last.  
  
She gripped the locket tighter in her hand, and raised her head to look at the grey sky. She squinted her eyes against the rain, and opened her mouth to taste it. Rain fell on her face, looking like long lost tears.  
  
Nine years.  
  
Well, actually, nine years, two months, and five days.  
  
Helga shivered again and looked at the small worn out picture of the football headed boy. She wondered what he was doing, what he was thinking. She just wanted to see him again. The girl felt the urge to sing a song, to write a poem, just looking at that face, but frowned at herself.  
  
There was no way in hel- she was going to write another poem. That was behind her now, a forgotton childhood of an unwanted girl.  
  
Why couldn't she just forget about him? Forget all about that boy, about his beautiful green eyes, warm flaxen hair-  
  
ThERE she was again! How many times had she told caught herself thinking about him? He was in the past, just a momentary infatuation. She should have grown out of him, just as she had done with poetry.  
  
She threw the locket away in anger, watching the glass frame slowly get covered in water. She stood up to leave, then glanced back at the lonely locket. Sighing slightly to herself, she bent back down to pick it up, and walked away slowly...back...Helga shivered, but not because of the cold.  
  
...Home.  
  
~*~  
  
Helga opened the door slightly, and quietly tip toed into her room.  
  
"PATAKI!" Helga flinched, and then straightened. So close. She was in the hallway. Darn those floorboards, she snarled. The blonde girl looked into the shadows.  
  
"Yes, Nora?" Helga asked, clenching her teeth. A middle aged woman stepped into the kitchen, dark brown hair streaked with gray. She held it all in a severe bun, and wore burgundy satin pyjamas. Her cold brown eyes gazed at the girl before her.  
  
"You didn't finish your chores." Nora told her coldly.  
  
"I did-" Helga began.  
  
"YOU DIDN'T!" Nora suddenly kicked over the trash can and spilt all the contents on the floor. She threw a towel at Helga, and walked away. "Clean it up." Her voice echoed about the mansion, as her footsteps were swallowed up by the gloom.  
  
Growling silently to herself, Helga got on her hands and knees, and started to scrub the floor.  
  
~*~  
  
Helga sighed and hugged herself with her arms. All she wore was a pale brown dress, drenched and muddy from the rain. She hopped up and down on one foot, warming herself up, and proceeded to make her way to the open stall market. Fruit vendors and others dotted the street, and Helga could hear their coarse cries echoeing through the street.  
  
Sighing softly underneath her breath, she took out a long list of items she had to buy. She started at the fruit market, numb hands trying to pick out the more luscious ones.  
  
Darn this rain, she thought miserably, and quickly flicked a strand of damp blond hair from her eye. She was so cold. Her teeth began chattering, and her cheeks were numb. Suddenly Helga felt a presence behind her, and the rain stopped momentarily. She frowned, and turned around.  
  
"Listen here, bucko--" She started, set on shooing the person away. But then she stopped, and her mouth dropped inhumanly low.  
  
"Ar-ar." She said in shock, eyes widening into deep blue pools of surprise. It was Arnold. She was sure of it. Her heart started beating rapidly and she felt like she couldn't breathe. Arnold..HER Arnold, was right in front of her, looking as loving and innocent as when she had first laid eyes on him.  
  
He wore a dark black suit, and smart leather dress shoes. He wore a chain necklace at his throat, but no hat. Helga felt a certain regret towards that. Arnold's hat had always symbolized his being. In one hand he held a slick black umbrella.  
  
"Miss? Miss?" Arnold's soft voice drifted to her ears. Helga's dreamy eyes slowly drifted to Arnold's, and then snapped open. She withdrew a sharp breath and her heart felt like it had been ripped into a million pieces. He didn't recognize her. Helga turned around again, eyes downcast. Her lower lip quivered slightly, and her chest felt empty and hollow.  
  
'No, I am NOT going to cry.' Helga told herself, clenching her hands into fists. This was insignificant. She had not cried when she lost her parents, when she had moved away from the neighborhood, and she was NOT going to cry now. Steeling her emotions, Helga turned around slightly. She took a deep breath, but couldn't bring herself to look at his face.  
  
She felt low. Insignificant. Arnold didn't recognize her. Her obsession, her infatuation, her...love. He had forgotten her.  
  
"Miss, you shouldn't be out in the rain!" Helga snapped back to attention at his voice, so foreign...but so natural at the same time. Helga didn't move, but rubbed one of her arms in nervousness. She was so cold, her arms were numb. Suddenly she didn't feel too well. "Miss?" Arnold's face looked concerned. "Your lips are blue." Helga barely heard him as she was attacked with another wave of dizziness. She stumbled backwards a few steps, knocking her legs against the crate of apples.  
  
In her semi-conscious state she felt a hand touch her head lightly.  
  
"You're burning up!" Arnold's voice said, and she felt two arms grip her shoulders. The world started to blur around her, and Arnold became a light blond shadow in a gray background...  
  
Helga fainted.  
  
~*~  
  
AN: ok, yeah, that's it for now, plz come back to read and review!!  
  
I LOVE REVIEWS!!! *smiles like an insane person*  
  
Erha.yeah..  
  
--dkc 


	2. meet arnold

A/N: Hey it's me again, DKC!! Wow, so...it's the WEEKEND!!! Yaya!!! I am SO happy!! No more hmwk, and I can write to my content ALL DAY!!! :)))))  
  
We're holding a surprise b-day party for our friend on Saturday, YAYY! These are all the reviews I got for now..  
  
matchmake-t: hey! Wasuup?? Yay! U like it, you really like it!! *smiles* heehee..oh well pheobe's comin' up, dun worry!! There'll be some G/P (Gerald, pheebs) in here too, so continue reading and REVIEWING!!! :)))  
  
WAIT, HERE IS THE DISCLAIMER!!!!  
  
Yargh!! What is it with me, and forgetting to put up disclaimers?? Neways, just so ya know, I'm not Craig Bartlett, or Nickelodeon. I'd wanna be, but sadly, I'm not.  
  
So that's about it for this DISCLAIMER thing, and it LASTS throughout the WHOLE story, KAY!!  
  
THE DISCLAIMER is HERE!!!  
  
end of AN!!! Now ON with the story!  
  
Fortune and fame  
  
Helga woke up slowly, and immediately checked if her locket was still in her clothes. She sighed slightly in contentment as her fingers found the smooth metal frame. She snuggled deeper into soft pillows; she was in heaven. The whole room smelt faintly of strawberries, and a grin flitted across Helga's face.  
  
For once, Nora was silent, and Helga slowly opened her eyes, and then sat up, bewildered. Whose room was she in? Her startled eyes glanced around quickly, and fell on a particular portrait above the fireplace.  
  
A picture of a blond haired boy with a football shaped head.  
  
"Arnold." Helga whispered slightly, and lay back down on the bed. She snuggled deeper into the warm and fuzzy blankets and pillows. Finally Helga lazily opened her eyes when there was a knock at the door. She disentangled herself from her blankets quickly, suddenly thinking it was Nora.  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming," she hollered towards the door. She yanked the poor door almost off its hinges, and suddenly found herself face to face with Arnold. Helga blushed slightly, just seeing his face made her giddy. Suddenly she snapped back to reality at the sound of his voice.  
  
"Miss...may I know you name??" He asked curiously, his green eyes sparkling innocently at her. Helga smiled. Arnold might have grown lengthwise, but inside he was still the same naïve little helpful boy. Helga wanted to tell him everything, wanted him to look at her in remembrance, even remember her as the bully who teased him all the time. Helga placed a hand lightly to her head, and wobbled a bit on her legs.  
  
No, she decided, she wouldn't tell him. If he had forgotten her, then it was up to him to remember her. She couldn't push him.  
  
Arnold led her into the large and spacious living room adjoining his bedroom, supporting her with one of his arms. Helga looked up at Arnold, and just studied him for a while. He was so handsome, grown into a beautiful man. His face was clean shaven, and he wore his clothes with elegance and grace. It took her a while to register the fact that Arnold was looking at her strangely. She suddenly remembered his previous question.  
  
"I'm..." she started, but faltered at the trust in his eyes, "...Cecile Mariouet.." She concluded slowly, then mentally slapped herself. That was the name of his French exchange penpal who she had impersonated! She bit her lip slightly, and to hide her insecurity, suddenly scowled at the young man in front of her. "Why do you wanna know?" She asked gruffly.  
  
Slow down there, Helga old girl, you can't let him know who you are! Surprisingly Arnold's smile didn't waver. He held out one hand to Helga congenially.  
  
"I'm Arnold-" Suddenly the phone rang, and Helga could see Arnold jump slightly. "Hold on a second.." With a parting smile, he headed towards a sleek dark blue portable on his bedside table. He talked quietly for a minute, slightly creasing his forehead.  
  
'yes.' Helga heard snippets of the conversation. 'yes..but Antonio..ok..yeah...by Friday, sure, fine..." Helga heard the phone click as Arnold hung up, and started whistling to hide the guilty expression on her face.  
  
"So, where were we?" He asked her when he approached. Then he smiled his trademark half-grin. (not that huge one where he shows all his teeth, tho, lols) "I remember now. So Cecile, do you want me to drive you back home?" Helga looked sideways at Arnold, chewing at her lip. She started to accept, but suddenly stopped.  
  
Get a Hold of YOUrself, Helga! You don't want him to know you're living as a servant in your own house, do you? Helga sighed, and declined Arnold's invitation.  
  
"No thank you...Arnold." She answered, "I can walk on my own." The blond young man nodded.  
  
"Sure thing, Cecile."  
  
Arnold led her down two flights of stairs, and to the front door. The sun was shining with abandon, and its rays glinted off Arnold's angelic cornflower hair. Helga lightly stepped outside.  
  
"Oh, and Cecile?" Arnold said, touching her shoulder to stop her. Helga slightly inclined her head to show she heard him, her heartbeat slightly rising.  
  
"Yeah?" Arnold smiled warmly at the girl he had just met.  
  
"I'm hosting a party in the ballroom of this place. I just moved here...so I thought I'd get to know some new faces." He hesitated slightly, and Helga turned around, hands on her hips.  
  
"Well?" she prodded, although inwardly she was praying he was going to ask her to go to his party.  
  
"Well...would you want to come?" Helga's prayers were answered, and an uncontrollable smile burst from her mouth. She lowered her head slightly so the football head wouldn't see her grin. She paused, pretending to think about it.  
  
"Maybe..." She said gruffly.  
  
Arnold smiled his big mouthed grin, and opened the door for Helga. "It's on December the 28th, if you wanna know." He hit his head with the back of his hand. "Oh I almost forgot!" He ran back into his room, and came out with a piece of red paper in his hand. "Here's the invitation!" he said cheerily.  
  
Helga accepted the invitation with a blush. Just being so close to him made her swoon. Her mind was overfilling with lines in prose, and jumbles of poems declaring her love for Arnold interlacing in her mind. Her legs felt weak, and she gave Arnold a goofy grin.  
  
"Thanks a lot." She said quietly. Then she looked into his intense green eyes. "Thanks for everything, Arnoldo."  
  
And with that, she practically ran off the front sidewalk, and down the street. After a few steps, she gave in to temptation, and looked back at Arnold. He was standing on the porch, glancing at her with a sad and thoughtful expression.  
  
~*~  
  
Arnold sat bolt upright in his bed, eyes open wide. His blue curtains billowed in the wind, and Arnold got a chill down his spine. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, and yawned. He stood up slowly, and walked over to his window to close it. It slide shut with a click, and Arnold groggily made his way back to his bed.  
  
He had had the dream again.  
  
~*~  
  
There wasn't a lot to the dream, or nightmare, really. All he remembered was a fluorescent light shining in his face, with blue figures crowding around him, dark metal tools shining in their hands. Their speech was blurred, like he was stuck underneath water.  
  
He heard some mumbling. Arnold just caught a glimpse of gray eyes before he saw the white robed man click something off on his chart. He knew he was scared.  
  
But not scared for himself.  
  
He was scared for..somebody else... the name was repeating itself again and again within his sub conscious.  
  
Helga.  
  
~*~  
  
Arnold rubbed his head again. Who was Helga anyway? He didn't remember anything about her, vaguely remembering a distinct feeling of regret, of sadness. He hadn't remembered anything before that day he woke up in the hospital, memories erased.  
  
Arnold sighed in frustration, and tried to get back to sleep. His mind continued thinking. Had Helga been a friend, or an enemy? Who was she? He hated the feeling of sadness every time he thought of that name...if ONLY he could remember!  
  
And what had Cecile to do with any of this? Why did he think he had seen her before? Why did he feel the urge to protect her, when he had first seen her in the rain? She had looked frail, he guessed, seeming to hide her sadness behind those dark blue eyes.  
  
Wait a second! How did he know that? It seemed like he had known her forever, he could sense the sadness dripping off of her cold hard exterior in waves. He was totally intrigued by her, all her independence. So he had invited her to the dance.  
  
That was all...wasn't it?  
  
~*~  
  
Okee, review peeps, plz!! I'm thinkin' about addin' some beauty and the beast in here, so tell meh if *YOU* think I should!  
  
:) Until next time, you peeps,  
  
--dkc 


	3. business and pain

A/N: hehee...I LUUV REVIEWS!!!! Hehhaheah!! *laughs maniacally b/c I'm on a sugar high* heheee...  
  
OKKKeee!! Reviewers  
  
shira: ayayayay!! Glad u LIKE it!!! SICKLY sweet is da BESSST!!! YAYA!! Of course I'll be ya royal story teller!! *Puts on goofy royal story teller hat* hehehahahah!!  
  
SilverChocolate: yep yep, I took ur suggestion, n' I'm gonna try to add some BEAUTY and the BEAST and maybe some SLEEPING BEAUTY in it tooo!! THX!! Read and review MOORE!  
  
JESS: KAWAII bunny FUU FUU!!! That's SO CUTIE poo!! :D *hey that rhymed, surprisingly!!* bows grandiosely...hehe..lols  
  
MetallicPink Sakura: :DDDDD another chappie comin' RIGHT UP!!! :)  
  
Magentha: read more!!! Merha! *drools a bit* review!!!!  
  
matchmake-t: ?:o...- that's mah confused face...tell me more about the suggestions for ur next fic, and I'll suggest some!!! :))))!!! Okkee.thx 4 reading!!! MARSHMALLOWS ROCK!!! :D  
  
old-soul: yay thx! I haven't updated in a while, sorrie!!!! Welp, thanx for ze reviews!!!! :DDDDD  
  
JOEY'S ANGEL: :DDDD thx a bunch, review again when ya have zee time!!! :DD  
  
untouchable-rogue: cool name!! Thx for ze reviews!! CHAPPIE THREE IS UP!!!  
  
heehee.END of MAH CLAZY A/N!!!!  
  
~*~  
  
Fortune and Fame  
  
Helga skipped lightly into the house, humming to herself and clutching the dark red invitation in one hand. When she opened the door, and iron grip encircled her wrist, and twisted it sharply. Helga gasped as pain seared through her arm, and tried to escape from the grasp of Nora. Her eyes trailed the path Arnold's invitation made as it fluttered slowly to the ground.  
  
"Where have you been all night?" Nora asked her, eyes blazing. Behind Nora were her children, Johnny and Catelina. Catelina stepped forward, and picked up the forgotten invitation with one dainty hand. As she read it, her eyes widened.  
  
"How did you get this?" She asked in surprise, greedily eyeing it.  
  
"GIVE that BACK!" Helga said, lunging for the red piece of paper, but Nora pulled her back. Helga turned to her step mother, and narrowed her eyes. She knew that Nora was more powerful that her, but her temper flared and her common sense flew out the window. All she knew was that this woman had ruined her life.  
  
Her fist started hurtling toward the woman's face. Old Betsy hadn't lost any of her skill and power yet. But Nora didn't move. Instead she said the one thing that froze Helga's fist in midair.  
  
"One word from me and everybody you love is dead." Helga's eyes widened, as she heard the ring of truth in the woman's voice. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she lowered her hand. Her eyes stung with unshed tears. Her eyes watered as she knew Nora would keep her word. There was nothing she could do.  
  
"I hate you." She whispered bitterly. Turning away from the woman, Helga slumped up the stairs. Helga lightly walked into her room, and collapsed beside a wall. Her room was the smallest one in the mansion of a house she lived in. It was also the coldest. Her window was fogged with smog, and the only light was from the clouded sun outside. Helga shivered. Everything seemed so distant from her, so far away. The blares of horns in the streets outside were detached, and everything in her room was bathed in a blue light.  
  
Sighing, Helga slouched on the floor and stared at the faded pink wallpaper on the walls. This was the only thing that reminded her of the old neighborhood, where all her old friends were.  
  
Pheobe. All contact between them had been cut.  
  
What had happened to her, anyways? Maybe.just maybe she was still friends with Arnold? Maybe...Pheobe still remembered her? Maybe...she would even recognize her? Unbidden her thoughts drifted to the cornflower haired boy. He was the only thing that had helped her make it through. Year by year, not going to school regularly, all that had kept her alive was the thought that somewhere, Arnold was free.  
  
Helga groaned, and made her way to the small, almost non-existant mirror in her tiny washroom. She wasn't permitted to be anywhere but her room when she wasn't cleaning, so there it was, a tiny sink, toilet and shower.  
  
She couldn't blame him, really. Her hand glided gracefully past her reflection in the mirror. They had changed her appearance, and her face was gaunt from hunger. Her once long blond wavy hair was now only shoulder length, and was dyed a pasty brown. She wasn't ever allowed to wear pink. The only thing she had kept from her childhood was the locket.  
  
With its mention Helga took the small worn out locket from under her clothes. She couldn't believe she had wanted to discard of it two days ago. Then she had felt helpless, and had lost the will to live. But meeting Arnold again...  
  
He had instilled in her an unquenchable hope. Maybe...just maybe somebody would find out and save her, and Bob too. In her lap her hand clenched into a fist. She would survive.  
  
Helga's thinking was interrupted when she heard two footsteps outside her door. It was Nora. She walked in and slapped the girl. Pain sprouted on her cheek.  
  
"The floors are dirty." Nora told her coldly, rubbing her muddy high heels on the floor. "Be thankful I am not punishing you for receiving the invitation which you must have stolen from the streets." With a swift turn, the woman stalked away, heels clicking on the carpeted wooden floor. Sighing softly to herself, Helga grabbed a small bucket that was overfilled with dirty water, and a mop. The water sloshed as she picked it up, and Helga swallowed a lump at her throat. She quietly made her way down the stairs to the main hall.  
  
~*~  
  
Helga frowned as she moved the mop back and forth along the floor. The quiet mansion scared Helga. She had never liked silence, as her real family had always been loud. A large chandelier sparkled above her and illuminated the marble floors of the ball room. Her thoughts began to run inside her head. She clenched her teeth and rubbed savagely at the tiles at her feet.  
  
It wasn't fair. Why her? Why her family? Why Miriam? At her mother's name, Helga's hands tightened their grip on the broom. They had killed her. They had killed Miriam. Right in front of her nine-year-old daughter. Helga would never forget it, she would never forgive them. Miriam had never been a good mother, but her death shattered Helga.  
  
Business.  
  
Helga hated that word. It was business that had got her into this mess, business that had killed Miriam, and business that her murderer had uttered to Helga by way of explanation.  
  
Bob and his business. The beeper emporium had grown into a larger and larger business until it was worth billions. In that brief stint of peaceful happiness everything seemed perfect. The business continued to grow and Bob began to sell all different kinds of technology; weapons, wirelesses, and his business grew into many different franchises. That was until he made a deal with Machia Vaconelli.  
  
Machia Vaconelli. The name made Helga want to hurl.  
  
He turned out to be the leader of a large mafia organization, and somehow, Bob found out and turned him in to the authorities. For a while, the Patakis were put under surveillance by the police for protection, but a few months passed, and nothing peculiar happened, so the security slackened, and finally began to pull away.  
  
That's when they hit.  
  
The mafia killed Miriam, and kidnapped Helga. Bob was on a business trip, and Olga was somewhere in Greenland helping with the abolition of illiteracy. They burned the house down, and made it look like an accident.  
  
Helga suddenly realized that she had finished cleaning the floor, and with a sigh, made her way outside to empty the bucket. It began to drizzle as she stepped out onto the porch. She noticed the newspaper on the doormat, and brought it in. Trust Nora to leave it out here as long as she had. Helga looked at the downcast sky. It was evening. That means she had been cleaning all day. Again.  
  
Shaking her head to herself Helga made her way back into the house as she felt goosebumps begin to form on her skin. As she was about to throw it onto the table a heading caught her eye.  
  
MULTI MILLIONAIRE BACHELOR MOVES INTO TOWN  
  
Arnold had just moved into town. With widened eyes Helga slowly unfolded the newspaper, and saw a picture of her beloved right in the front page. Her eyes roved over the article in amazement. Arnold was a millionaire?  
  
Suddenly her heart leapt with pride. She always knew that he would make it big. Her Arnold. A goofy grin crept onto her face, and she kissed the picture softly and held it to her heart. She recalled to mind that his house had been modest, only moderately enormous. Arnold was still himself, even if he didn't remember or recognize her.  
  
"What are you doing?" A harsh voice asked. Startled, Helga jumped, and inconspicuously slid the newspaper back onto the table.  
  
"Nothing." Helga replied quickly, turning around to face Catelina. They were both about the same age, but they both hated eachother with a passion. Catelina was wearing a ton of make-up, and Helga grimaced in distaste. The other girl's red hair fell in waves around her face, and she wore a small black dress.  
  
Ignoring her with a dismissive twist of her fingers, Catelina placed her manicured hands on top of the newspaper, and smiled.  
  
"A millionaire...and he's my age! Oh! And I even have an invitation to his party." Catelina roved her eyes hungrily on Arnold's picture, and Helga bristled unconsciously. "Not too bad looking either." Catelina said to herself.  
  
NO, she wasn't going to let her emotions take control of her again. With great difficulty, Helga let her fists drop to her side, and turned to leave. Catelina smiled at Helga's obvious consternation.  
  
"Oh well, I'm off to buy a dress." She hollered before Helga left the room. Suddenly Catelina felt herself bowled over, as Helga's fist made contact with her stomach. She growled in anger. This girl thought she could beat HER up? With once swift movement, Catelina kicked Helga in the ribs, and Helga's breath was knocked out of her. She gasped for air, and hoped her lungs hadn't been punctured.  
  
Helga felt herself pushed up against the wall by her neck, and cold metal pressed to her forehead. Her breathing came faster, as she heard the safety clip unlock. Catelina looked murderous, but Helga was sure she wouldn't do it. Helga glared her down from her helpless position.  
  
"If you weren't this important..." Catelina threatened, and dropped the gun. Helga fell to the ground, breathing fast. With one last kick, Catelina left.  
  
~*~  
  
OH well, ok THAT's all, I'm not too sure about this chapter, and sorry it's kindof bad...I had this MAJOR writer's block for a LONG time...next chappie will be betta, I PWOMISE!!! Heehee.  
  
I also promise the next chapter won't take as long * WINTER VACATION, YAY!!* and that there'll be some ARNOLD in it!!! YAYAYAAAAY!  
  
-dkc :D 


	4. lockets and cars

AN: HI!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS, everyone!!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!! HAPPY DIWALI!! HAPPY HANUKKAH!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS, TO any I might have missed  
  
Now, since I'm being cool *snickers are heard* and am adding this chappie very quickly, (ON THE SAME DAY, YAY!!!) I have no reviews!!!!  
  
That is my excuse to keep myself happy. Don't tear that away from me.  
  
Heehee, I'm so crazy! HAVE A NICE HOLIDAY, PEOPLE, AND HAVE FFFUUUUUUUNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :DDDDD  
  
Now, the story!  
  
~*~  
  
Fortune and Fame  
  
Helga slowly stood up and shook her head groggily. Her ribs ached like crazy, and her head was spinning. She couldn't stay in this house a moment longer. Helga languidly stood up, and stalked determinedly to her room. Once there, she grabbed her coat and pushed open her window. Ran was pouring down in waves. Great. This was just what she didn't need.  
  
Helga hesitated briefly on her windowsill, one foot out and one in. Should she leave? Nora would probably make her clean the entire house five times, and the weather was pretty forbidding. Helga glanced outside again. The rain veiled everything with a shimmering haze, and Helga could vaguely make out the incandescent light bulbs shining from the street lamps outside. The wind buffeted her face and Helga felt raindrops splatter onto her face.  
  
Slipping her coat on, Helga looked at the ground below. There was a metal pipe right beside her window, which she could pull herself down on. In one lithe leap Helga threw herself off the ledge and held onto the pipe for dear life. She glanced down and a wave of dizziness hit her. The pipe groaned on its bindings and Helga hurried down. Her heart was beating fast, and her hands slipped frequently on the cold metal, dangerously slippery from the rain.  
  
The penetrating claws of wind blew and tugged at her clothes and hair, and Helga cursed herself at her stupidity, and closed her eyes. She was going to die, she was going to die, and the phrase kept repeating itself in her head until Helga's feet touched the ground. Her limbs were shaking from exertion and her heart felt like it was going to stop. Helga heaved a sigh of relief. Even though she had done this a thousand times, the heights still scared her to death.  
  
Helga cupped her frostbitten hands in front of her mouth, and started blowing at them to stay warm. She started walking in any direction, not really sure where she was going. After her hands were moderately warm, Helga stuffed them back in her pockets, and looked around. The streets were bustling with late night activity, peoples faces swathed in the ethereal light of the yellow streetlamps.  
  
Her eyes wandered around the various shops still open, and her mouth watered. She hadn't eaten in a few days, as Nora had forgotten to give her any sustenance. Lost in her own world, Helga wasn't looking where she was going, and suddenly heard the loud blaring of a horn, and two large headlights bearing down on her. She felt like a dear caught in the headlights, and was too shocked to move.  
  
She was going to die. Helga's life flashed before her eyes, and images of her old neighborhood friends flitted around in her head. The headlights were getting closer. Any moment now they were going to collide. Helga closed her eyes and waited for the impact. What she felt was totally different.  
  
Two strong hands encircled her waist, and Helga felt herself pushed out of the way. This was vaguely familiar...  
  
The cement sidewalk contacted her arm and Helga withdrew her breath in pain. There was a distinct crack of bone. Her knees then scraped against the stone, and suddenly Helga was pressed to the ground as a heavy weight fell on top of her. Her breathing came faster and her eyesight was getting fuzzy.  
  
She heard gasping behind her ears, and felt the person quickly roll off of her, and gently tip her to the side. Her eyes slowly fluttered shut. Her body just felt too heavy...sleep...sleep would be good.  
  
"Are you oka-" Arnold's voice lodged at his throat when he realized who it was. "Oh god, Cecile, can you hear me? You'll be okay, don't worry." Helga's eyes briefly fluttered open and saw the vague shape of a flaxen haired angel. She smiled slightly, and with her ebbing strength, gently touched his cheek.  
  
Arnold was frantic, and he held on to the hand at his face. Quickly turning it over, he checked for a pulse. She was alive. His training flew out the window, and he suddenly wasn't sure what to do. All he knew was that he couldn't move her sharply, as her neck might be broken. He flailed his arms around wildly until he calmed himself sufficiently to find his voice.  
  
"Somebody call an ambulance!" He shouted, as the driver of the van pulled up beside the curb. A woman ran out, clad in a dark blue sweater and a black skirt. She couldn't be more than thirty.  
  
"Is she alright?" The woman asked worriedly. Arnold turned his gaze back on Helga. He indistinctly heard the woman call for an ambulance on her cell phone.  
  
"Fine, she's going to be fine." Arnold assured, more to himself that the woman. His heart was beating rapidly for some unknown reason. He didn't know why he cared so much, but he did. Bruises were beginning to form on her face and arm, and blood trickled from a cut at her head. His own arm was also bleeding. He had partially broken her fall with it.  
  
Suddenly his attention was diverted to her hand that he still held in his own. Her skin was so soft, so familiar. Arnold stared intently at her face, her eyes fluttering slightly. She looked so peaceful, and Arnold was strangely drawn to her. With one hand he gently touched her chin. Her hair was plastered to her face from the rain, but Arnold had never thought anyone looked prettier.  
  
"You'll be alright, Cecile, don't worry. Just hang in there. Hang in there."  
  
In the distance the ambulance sirens blared.  
  
~*~  
  
Arnold paced up and down the hallways of the hospital. Something had compelled him to stay and keep Cecile company; he would've felt guilty leaving. His clothes were muddy and encrusted with filth, but he didn't care at all.  
  
Cecile better be all right.  
  
He was new to the business, so he couldn't really trust his own diagnosis. The arm on his left was bandaged tightly, and Arnold scowled at it in his worried state.  
  
He continued walking-or stalking, is the correct word.  
  
It wasn't until a nurse hurrying with a cart of supplies had almost flattened him to the ground that Arnold settled himself to sitting outside the operating room in a chair he had dragged there.  
  
What was taking so long? Arnold fidgeted, and tapped anxiously on his bandage. In reality it had only been fifteen minutes, but it felt like an eternity to the young man. His heels made a clicking noise that echoed up and down the hallways, but Arnold hadn't noticed. All his attention was sorely centered on the hospital door in front of him.  
  
Try though he might, Arnold couldn't shake off a sense of déjà vu. There was something about this whole situation, about being in the hospital...  
  
Arnold suddenly looked up as the door opened, and was immediately charging through the door to see Cecile. He ran to her bedside and without a second thought, gently held her hand in his. It felt right somehow.  
  
She looked so peaceful sleeping. All her cuts were bandaged, and her arm was in a cast. Arnold had to work extremely hard to repress his free hand from brushing the hair away from her face.  
  
A thought suddenly struck him. Would Helga be in danger by associating with him? Antonio wanted the information for the case by Friday, but his cover might be blown. If it was, anybody related to him would be in danger. Should he stay?  
  
He rubbed his eyes. There was too much to think about. Suddenly Helga moved, and Arnold attention was diverted. Helga's eyes slowly fluttered open, and widened slightly when she saw Arnold at her side. Her blue eyes shyly noticed her hand in his, and flickered back up to stare at his face. Arnold grinned at her; he couldn't hold it back.  
  
Helga then noticed her cast arm. She eyes gently traced the white bandages around her arm. Her cerulean orbs fastened themselves on Arnold's emerald ones questioningly. Arnold swallowed. The look of trust she gave him made it hard to breathe. Her eyes were so intense, so...real, unlike any of the girls he had met during his cover as a multi millionaire.  
  
"Shh...don't worry, you'll be fine," Helga felt reassured by the warm smile gracing Arnold's lips. "You weren't hit by the truck." Helga's eyes flickered in confusion fro a second, until memories started replaying in her mind. The lights, the hands at her waist, being pushed out of the way...  
  
Helga glanced sincerely at Arnold.  
  
"Thanks." She said softly, until Arnold wasn't even sure she said it. He patted her hand in comfort. They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.  
  
Helga was finding it hard to think. The mere presence of Arnold by her side and holding her hand made her swoon. She was grateful. If circumstances had been different, she would've hugged him. Instead, she settled for staring at him with a goofy grin plastered on her face.  
  
She must've looked dazed, because Arnold suddenly stood up apologetically.  
  
"You have to sleep, and get better! You're probably so tired! I'm so stupid for taking up your time like this. Excuse me." He replaced her hand on top of her blanket, and headed for the door.  
  
"Wait." Arnold looked back at Helga, and tilted his head sideways slightly.  
  
"Yes?" he asked softly.  
  
"When...when will I see you again?" She finished quickly, a small unnoticeable blush creeping on her cheeks. Arnold grinned at her.  
  
"Tomorrow. I'll drop by to check up on you." Helga didn't answer, but turned her head away from him to hide the goofy smile that had sprouted on her features again.  
  
"Bye Arnold."  
  
"See ya."  
  
~*~  
  
Arnold began walking past the hospital hallways, when a nurse stopped him.  
  
"Do you know the girl in room 2304?" Arnold nodded slightly.  
  
"We're friends." He answered. The nurse sighed in relief.  
  
"Well that's great. What's her name again?" The nurse took out a clipboard.  
  
"Cecile." Arnold answered helpfully.  
  
"Cecile...?" That was when Arnold realized he didn't even know her last name.  
  
"Uh..." he answered in consternation. The nurse looked up at him, and smiled.  
  
"Don't worry about it dear, your information's good enough." She answered, patting his cheek in a mother like fashion. Arnold smiled slightly at her and was about to leave when the nurse turned around and tapped his shoulder lightly.  
  
"Could you be a dear, and return this to her? I'm so busy. It fell out of her clothes when we brought her here." The nurse, (who was named Nancy as Arnold had read her name tag) gave Arnold a small heart shaped locket. " Thanks a lot, dear." She called behind as she left.  
  
Arnold caught a glimpse of the picture in the locket and his mouth dropped.  
  
He staggered back against the wall and leaned on it for support.  
  
The picture was of a small child.  
  
He had a football shaped head, and cornflower hair.  
  
It was him.  
  
It was Arnold.  
  
~*~  
  
AN: I'm not sure if some of the things in the hospital scene make sense, cuz I'm not a doctor, or a nurse...so sollie!! (interesting tidbit: my sis is in med school and training to become an emergency doc, tho!)  
  
HEEHEee, I LUV braggin' about my sistas!!1 zey are just so cool, tho I betta buy them presents tmrw...hehe.  
  
REVIEW, PPL, and have a SAFE and FUN holiday!!!  
  
Ooh, always wanted to say that, then laugh at the weirdness...hehe...yeah.  
  
-dkc  
  
:DDDDDDDD 


	5. CraZy MissIONS

A/N: HAPPY YULE!!!! *whoo that was one of ze holidays I forgot to mention...zat good, shira?*  
  
OH AND HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!!  
  
old-soul: YAYY!!! You likes it! you really likes it!! heehee..i'm just strange..thx for reviewing! :)  
  
Helga243: woohooo! Thx a bunch! :DD  
  
shira: nnooOOOOo!!!! How can Hermione be w/ RON????? She TOtaLLLY Has to be w/ DRACO!!! It's THE ONLY WAY!!!!! Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! Anyways, Happy yule!!!! Cool name!!! Thx for reviewing! I'm not clinically insane either!!! *people are heard scoffing in the background* lols.  
  
Ditey: well thx 4 ze compliment! Now that I think 'bout it, cinderhelga makes a LOT more sense, eh? Ah wells...i think ur story would be cool, if you wrote it!!! heehee.then I'd have no more reviews..*sniff*  
  
matchmake-t: OH happy holidays to you TOO!!!!! Arnold calls helga Cecile b/c in da second chappie, when Arnold asked for her name, she told him it was Cecile mariout...hehee...  
  
I LUVVVV REVIEWS!!!!!!!  
  
~*~  
  
Fortune and Fame  
  
Gerald read the article again. So Arnold had made it big, huh? He grinned. Well, serves him right, his heart was always so big, even after all that had happened to him. Gerald settled deeper in his chair, and brought a can of root beer to his lips. On the table was a dark red letter, inviting him to the dance. Who should he pick? Who should he bring?  
  
His old friend had moved away when he was sixteen, Gerald hadn't seen him in...two, maybe three years. Poor guy. His grandparents had passed away, and he had taken it hard. He had flown away...following a worn out old map he had found in his father's diary. A grin flitted across Gerald's face. That boy never gave up. Over the years Gerald had always wondered what would become of the passive young man.  
  
Now back to the problem at hand. Who was going with him? One name stood out prominently in his thoughts...but no. He had lost contact with most of the old friends from the neighborhood, her included. He knew where she lived, only a few blocks away, but he had never talked to her again, afterwards. Shaking his head sadly, Gerald stood up, and decided to go shoot some hoops on the new basketball court. It had somehow always calmed him, and was one of his two favorite sports: baseball and basketball.  
  
He slipped on his dark red turtleneck, and a beige sports coat over that. Instinctively he stuffed a black cap on his head. With one swift glance in the mirror to see if his hair didn't look like a mop, he headed out the door, worn out orange basketball clutched tightly in the crook of his arm. He walked lightly across the park to the basketball court.  
  
He stood in front of the hoop, and started shooting the basketball. One from half-court, the other slightly left of the penalty spot. The young man stripped off his coat and turtleneck, until he wore only a dark blue sleeveless t-shirt, and of course, his khaki cargo pants. By the time he stopped he was breathing hard, and the sun had risen high into the sky. Gerald wiped his brow, and gathering up his clothes under one arm, started to return home.  
  
He decided to buy some bread from the bakery when his stomach rumbled. One bagel in hand, he started walking aimlessly. Suddenly he was in front of her house again. Unbidden, his eyes trailed to the window on the second story of the building. He suddenly found himself at her doorstep, and swallowed the last of the bagel. Almost in a trance, his hand rang the doorbell. He had no idea what to say, how to start, but he knew he had to apologize.  
  
Gerald chuckled slightly as he heard the scramble of the Hyerdahls to the door, nervousness momentarily forgotten. The door slammed open and Pheobe stood in the doorway. She was wearing pajamas and her eyes squinted at the afternoon sun. Whipping out her glasses, she perched them on her nose.  
  
"Hi-" her voice died off when she saw who it was. "Oh." Pheobe said quietly instead. The door started to close on Gerald's face.  
  
"No, wait!" Gerald called to her. "I...Pheobe! Please, just listen...please?" He felt her hesitate at the door. "Pheobe...darn it, I don't know where to start." He stared at the slight shadow. "Uh..." he ran a hand through his curly hair. "I'm sorry. I guess that's it. I'm really sorry for everything...I never meant to hurt you, Pheebs. You were my best friend...Can I have another chance?" Gerald looked up at her. He had left out the most important part...but she didn't need to know that, right? He had screwed up any chance he would have ever gotten with her.  
  
The silence continued treacherously.  
  
"I...understand." Gerald cast his eyes on the ground, and slung his clothes over one shoulder. With one last glance to the silent form of Pheobe, he turned on his heel, and walked away.  
  
~*~  
  
Arnold stared at the picture for a moment, mind blank. His eyes trailed over the torn edges of the photo, and he suddenly noticed the heart shaped frame which ran around its perimeter. Arnold closed his eyes and combed his free hand through his hair.  
  
He had to remember! There must be some little clue! His gaze was drawn back to its meticulous examination of the photo. Was Cecile a girl from his past? Was she the key to unlocking all his nightmares? His throat constricted with anticipation.  
  
Did she know Helga?  
  
Helga was the one girl who haunted all his dreams, one girl who he did not even know the face of. His friends never mentioned her, so he never got to find out. Maybe...maybe she would tell him?  
  
Arnold groaned at the issues circulating in his mind. One thought stuck out prominently in his contemplations. He had to ask her. He had to know.  
  
The hallway was silent, but Arnold always felt a little uneasy in hospitals. There was always that hint of sadness, that hint of regret that always lingered in the buildings. He shivered slightly, despite the warm temperature and the black wool trenchcoat around his shoulders. He hesitated at the door in the middle of opening it. Doubts started to appear.  
  
Maybe she didn't know? Perhaps this was just a nephew, a relative? His hand gripped the picture tighter on reflex. Swallowing the anxiousness at his throat, Arnold walked inside.  
  
She was asleep. Again Arnold was startled by her beauty. He felt slightly guilty about waking up her peaceful slumber, and sighed softly to himself. No. She had been through so much today, he didn't need to add to the pile. Walking softly on the soles of his feet, Arnold silently placed the framed picture on her bedside table. There would be plenty of time to ask her later. He noted the empty vase and smiled to himself. He would buy her a bouquet of roses. His eyes flickered back to her frail form, and he patted her hand in consolation. Right now she had to rest. Right now; he had to work. With one swift smile in parting, Arnold headed out the door, smart leather dress shoes clicking on the linoleum tiles underfoot.  
  
~*~  
  
Helga awoke abruptly as somebody dragged her upright by her hospital collar. Her eyelids fluttered open slightly.  
  
"Good, the girl's awake. Get up! We don't have all day you know! Hopefully you weren't an dolt enough to tell them your name." Nora's face focused slightly in view. But Helga's attention was diverted as her broken arm was taken from it's slings and she groaned in pain. "Serves her right, this idiot." Nora said coldly. She placed a bag over her head to hide her face, and Helga blinked in the suffocating darkness.  
  
"Wheelchair?" Helga whispered faintly as she felt herself lifted upright onto the floor.  
  
"It won't fit through the window, now will it?" Helga's expression hardened into a death glare. She felt two hands at her waist, and was suddenly flying through the air. Her mind failed to register the danger, and Helga really didn't give a whit. The wind whistled past her arms, and the bag pressed against her face.  
  
"Oof." She landed on something soft. She clenched her teeth as her cast collided with the ground. Surprisingly gentle hands loaded her into a car, and she heard Nora and others get inside.  
  
"Now DRIVE!" Helga heard Nora's voice yell. She flinched, and hugged her cast arm with her other.  
  
"Blindfold!" Nora's voice shouted again. Helga's mind stumbled over the order. Well, she was already blindfolded, so to whom were they talking to?  
  
Her unspoken question was answered as she felt the person beside her be blindfolded. Serves them right, Helga thought drowsily. However much she forced herself to be alert, her mind kept falling asleep. With one last tired sigh, the sleepy girl succumbed to slumber.  
  
~*~  
  
The sun glinted off the windows of Arnold's dark crimson convertible as he leapt out of the door. He pulled his shades down over his eyes, and walked leisurely to the building doors. Glancing up, Arnold took in the nondescript whitewashed walls, and the convincing clerk at the counter. He nodded his head in appreciation.  
  
"Jan." The young man inclined his head to the clerk, and started up the eight flights of stairs to Antonio's office. Arnold knocked on Antonio's door when he reached it, slightly out of breath.  
  
"Come in, Arnold." A deep voice told him. Arnold walked in, and faced a large oaken desk. Behind it was the stereotypical large black leather chair, in which Antonio now swiveled around in. "What's the news?"  
  
Arnold started to speak when the man interrupted him. Antonio was an athletic Argentinean man, with short dark brown hair falling into his face. He was in his forties, and his hair was slightly gray at the temples. He was almost Arnold surrogate father, though they had only known eachother for a year. The older man's face creased into a smile.  
  
"Why must you always use the stairs?" Antonio grinned at Arnold. "You know there's an elevator, right?" Arnold grinned back, and slid his sunglasses over his yellow hair.  
  
"It keeps me in shape, Antonio, and the air is fresher. Everybody knows only I use the stairs, so no crowding." Antonio shook his head slightly. It was a standing joke between them; Arnold would use the stairs, Antonio would ask him why, and Arnold would answer differently every time.  
  
"About the case," Arnold continued, "I have tracked the Reddings." Antonio nodded. This boy could work fast. "They seem to have a girl." The older man's head tilted to the side.  
  
"Now why would-"  
  
"Ransom or just plain kidnapping, no doubt." Arnold answered quickly. "Antonio, I think we should do something about that." Antonio held up a hand.  
  
"Not now, Arnold." He picked up his spectacles, rubbed them with a cleaning cloth, and looked back up at the young man in front of him. "You know the point of this case. Get close to the Reddings until they take you to their boss, Machia Vaconelli. This is one of the biggest mafia chains in order, Arnold.  
  
"Now normally we leave the police to this, but this is more serious." Antonio paused for a moment in contemplation. "Have you heard of the Green- eyed people?" Arnold reminded himself to breathe, and nodded hastily.  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"Our sources indicate Machia Vaconelli have enslaved the entire nation, somehow he found them out."  
  
"Do you think..." Arnold left it hanging, but the older man knew what he was talking about. Antonio's brow creased momentarily and he didn't answer, but continued with his briefing of the case.  
  
"There are large deposits of oil and other metals in the area, maybe even a deposit of the legendary Green Stone. You've heard of this, correct?" Arnold nodded slowly.  
  
"It's powers are mystical...my parents.returned it to them." Arnold shook his head to clear it. "I understand the implications of the mission, Antonio. I'll do my best to earn the Redding's trust." Antonio nodded.  
  
"If you need any help, Turner will be standing by." Arnold inclined his head, and took it as a sign to leave.  
  
~*~  
  
Antonio sighed and leaned back in his leather chair. He hoped Arnold's parents were still alive, but the fates were against them. His gaze trailed over an old photo frame, and he picked it up.  
  
He looked at it silently for a moment. The man in the photo looked exactly like him, except that he was younger.  
  
"Eduardo, my brother, hold on."  
  
~*~  
  
OOOH, ze suspense, it is a growing!!! Umm.tell meh if I'm going a little over da top here, when I write, I start adding more unnecessary complications that are crazy and don't make sense...so...yeah  
  
Anyways,  
  
HAVE A NICE NEW YEAR!!!!!  
  
Partay!!! Lols...  
  
REVIEW too!!!!! :DDDDDDDDDD  
  
-dkc 


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